Black History Month, also known as African-American History Month in the U.S., is an annual observance in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and (since 2016)[6]the
Netherlands, where it is known as Black Achievement Month. It began as a
way for remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States[7] and Canada[8] in February, as well as in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands[9] in October.[6]

The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be "Negro History Week".[10] This week was chosen because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and of Frederick Douglass on February 14, both of which dates black communities had celebrated together since the late 19th century.[10]From the event's initial phase, primary emphasis was placed on
encouraging the coordinated teaching of the history of American blacks
in the nation's public schools.
The first Negro History Week was met with a lukewarm response, gaining
the cooperation of the Departments of Education of the states of North Carolina, Delaware, and West Virginia as well as the city school administrations of Baltimore and Washington, D.C..[11]
Despite this far from universal acceptance, the event was regarded by
Woodson as "one of the most fortunate steps ever taken by the
Association", and plans for a repeat of the event on an annual basis
continued apace.[11]At the time of Negro History Week's launch, Woodson contended that
the teaching of black history was essential to ensure the physical and
intellectual survival of the race within broader society:

"If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes
a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in
danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous
record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he
today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is
attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution,
therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization."[12]

By 1929 The Journal of Negro History was able to note that
with only two exceptions, officials with the State Departments of
Educations of "every state with considerable Negro population" had made
the event known to that state's teachers and distributed official
literature associated with the event".[13]
Churches also played a significant role in the distribution of
literature in association with Negro History Week during this initial
interval, with the mainstream and black press aiding in the publicity
effort.[14]Negro History Week was met with enthusiastic response; it prompted
the creation of black history clubs, an increase in interest among
teachers, and interest from progressive whites. Negro History Week grew
in popularity throughout the following decades, with mayors across the
United States endorsing it as a holiday.[10]On February 21, 2016, 106-year Washington D.C. resident and school volunteer Virginia McLaurin visited the White House
as part of Black History Month. When asked by the president why she was
there, McLaurin said, "A black president. A black wife. And I’m here to
celebrate black history. That’s what I'm here for."

United States: Black History Month (1970)

The Black United Students first Black culture center (Kuumba House)
where many events of the first Black History Month celebration took
place.

Black History Month was first proposed by black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University
in February 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month took
place at Kent State one year later, from 2/1/1970 - 2/28/1970.[7]Six years later Black History Month was being celebrated all across
the country in educational institutions, centers of Black culture and
community centers, both great and small, when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial.
He urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often
neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor
throughout our history".[15]

United Kingdom (1987)

Black History Month was first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1987. It was organised through the leadership of Ghanaian analyst Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, who had served as a coordinator of special projects for the Greater London Council (GLC) and created a collaboration to get it underway.[16] It was first celebrated in London.[17]

Black History Month often sparks an annual debate about the continued
usefulness and fairness of a designated month dedicated to the history
of one race.
Criticisms include questions over whether it is appropriate to confine
the celebration of Black history to one month, as opposed to integration
of Black history into the mainstream education the rest of the year.
Another criticism is that contrary to the original inspiration for Black
History Month, which was a desire to redress the manner in which
American schools failed to represent Black historical figures as
anything other than slaves or colonial subjects, Black History Month
reduces complex historical figures to overly simplified objects of hero
worship. Another criticism is that the celebration is racist.[18]Black celebrities such as actor and director Morgan Freeman and actress Stacey Dash have criticized Black History Month,[19][20]
with Freeman saying, "I don't want a Black history month. Black history
is American history." Freeman has argued that there was no White
History Month, because white people did not want their history relegated
to just one month.[21]

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Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Mozambique

Orthodox icon, work of the Greek artist Dionysius Palma

HOLY FIRE - The Miracle of the Light of the Resurrection at the Tomb of Jesus

Seventy authors —fourteen French, nine Englishmen, seven Byzantine Greeks, six Germans, five Armenians, five Muslim Arabs, four Italians, four Persians, three Russians, three Icelanders, two Egyptians, two Chaldeans, one Syrian, one Moldavian, one Ethiopian, one Belgian, one Austrian and one Swiss— describe the greatest miracle of the Christian world: the Holy Fire (i.e., the Light of the Resurrection of Christ) which appears every Holy Saturday at the tomb of Jesus, a few hours before the celebration of his resurrection. Furthermore, the scientific measurements that were taken in the tomb of Jesus on Holy Saturday in 2008 by Associate Professor Antrey Volkov, confirm the descent of the Holy Fire and reveal three phenomena, which he himself characterizes as “incredible and entirely inexplicable.” (Click on the image)

About Orthodox Church... click on the icon

With the term “Orthodox Church” we mean what is usually referred to as the “Eastern Orthodox Church” and not any of the numerous other religious communities that are self-styled “orthodox”, such as “orthodox protestants” or “orthodox non-Chalcedonians” (Egyptian Copts, Ethiopians, Syrians, etc.), which in our opinion can be inadvertently confusing.

An African Guide for Orthodox Christians!...

African Orthodox Saints

Which Orthodox Saints are celebrating today?

Look at some of the Orthodox Christian saints who are celebrating today by clicking on the icon of All Saints Sunday.

A Bulletin of Orthodox Christian Faith from South Africa

"Evangelion" is a weekly Bulletin of Orthodox Christian faith that is made available to the Churches of the Archbishopric of Good Hope, South Africa. PDF files of past issues are available here (click on the image).